This invention relates to a process for preparing epichlorohydrin polymers.
Previous studies of cationic polymerization of epichlorohydrin (ECH) indicate that the commonly used initiator systems, i.e., Lewis acid/alcohol or tertiary oxonium salt/alcohol complexes, give polyepichlorohydrin (PECH) having average molecular weights less than about 4000 wherein the terminal groups are primarily secondary alcohols. Further, the end groups are sterically hindered secondary alcohol groups and cannot be readily converted to other desired functionalities.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a process for preparing polyepichlorohydrin.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process for preparing telechelic polyepichlorohydrin having molecular weights greater than about 5000.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a process for preparing telechelic polyepichlorohydrin having molecular weights greater than about 5000, and terminated with various functional groups.
Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the invention.